remove software package and install an alternate package?
Craig Mohr
I wasn't sure if this should go in inventory or deploy but I'm dropping it in inventory since that's how it's detected. I am wondering if there might be an automated way to run an uninstall and then trigger an install if certain software is found on a system. A specific example is if a user installs adobe acrobat reader XI we want to remove it and replace it with the DC version.
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Yes. Create a Collection that filters for "has application A and does not have application B", then create a Schedule that deploys "uninstall application A" and "install application B" to your Collection.
Can I do that all in one process? My concern was if the removal failed I don't want the install going forward and I was probably over thinking it a bit as well. I was thinking it needed 2 "jobs" one for the removal and one for the install and the 2nd one would not know what machines to deploy to since the collection would now be empty.
Yes. I recommend creating 3 packages: Uninstall, Install, and a package that has both as Nested Package steps. Use the 3rd one in your Schedule. If the Uninstall step fails, the deployment will stop.
Ok I had to think about that for a minute... So I can make a package that contains other packages (new user at this) and do both the removal and the new install on a dynamic collection. This way it keeps the same targets even though it would normally fall out of scope once the software is removed. I guess the only other challenge is what if the new install fails. I can't do the new install first though so I guess not really a way to catch those except the logs?
One option is to configure Notifications: https://link.pdq.com/docs-PDQDeploy?notifications.htm
I believe if you keep "Send only when results change" enabled it will only send emails for failed deployments, but it's been a while since I've messed around with Notifications.